How to make a model of a flower with parts

The flower is the part of a plant that is responsible for reproduction. Some flowers are called perfect flowers and contain both female and male organs, while others are incomplete flowers and must rely on insects for pollination.The main structures in flower anatomy include the petals, stigma, style, ovary, ovule, stem, calyx, filaments and anthers. The female organs -- stigma, style, ovary and ovule -- are referred to as the pistil. The male organs -- filaments and anthers -- are called the stamen. Despite all these parts, it's not hard to mimic the natural splendour of flowers with a realistic-looking clay model.

Skill level:

Easy

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Things you need

Modelling clay (green, blue, yellow, orange and black)

4 7.5 cm (3 inch) long pieces of wire

Pen

Paper

Scissors

Tape

Toothpicks

Diagram of a flower (see Resources)

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Instructions

1

Build the stem using green modelling clay and coiling it into a cylindrical structure. You can make the stem as short or as long as you want, but for stability, make sure that it is at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter.

2

Make the calyx out of green modelling clay. The calyx refers to the leaves that are directly under the flower, that border it like a frame.

3

Create four to six teardrop-shaped petals out of your blue modelling clay. Attach them skinny side down to the calyx, being sure to leave them opened like a small bowl to add the inner structures.

4

Build the pistil out of orange clay. The pistil is the shape of a baseball bat and has four components. The wide end, which will be placed directly on top of the stem inside the petals and centred, is called the ovary. The outside of the ovary has six tiny black circles, represented with black clay, that are called ovules. They should be placed in two vertical rows of three each located at the wide end of the pistil. The neck of the bat is called the style and the skinny end, the stigma.

5

Place the four pieces of wire so that they extend out of the ovary -- the wide end of the baseball bat shape -- and reach above the rims of the petals. This wire represents the filaments.

6

Build the anthers with the yellow clay. Break off four fingernail-sized pieces of clay and roll them into balls. Attach them to the tops of the filaments.

7

Label your parts. Write the names of the parts in small letters on your piece of paper and cut them out into rectangular pieces around the word. Tape these to your toothpicks and stick them into the appropriate places on the clay flower.

Tips and warnings

You can put modelling clay together at the seams by using your thumb and pressing gently.

Be sure that no matter what size your flower is, that the parts are built to scale. For example, you do not want huge anthers and a tiny ovary. Consult the diagram for reference.